Florida Marlins flop in their season debut against a top division rival

The Marlins will play 36 games this year against the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies — the two teams they know they must beat if they hope to reach the playoffs this year.

So far, not so good.

It’s only one game, but Florida’s 5-0 loss to the Braves tonight was not a very encouraging sign.
“This is who we’ve got to go out and beat consistently,” Morrison said.

“With the guys that we have we’ll be capable of doing that. We just have to bring it every night and grind out at-bats and not give any up.”

The Marlins went 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position, dropping them to an ugly 23-for-109 (.211) this year in those situations.

Braves starter Tommy Hanson was dealing. Marlins starter Chris Volstad was not — he joined Anibal Sanchez in the second straight game featuring a Marlins stater failing to make it even through five innings.

That’s twice through the Marlins rotation so far this year, and the starters are averaging fewer than six innings…

The Astros were not happy about their punishment from Sunday’s game in which both teams threw at each others’ players…